History of Mehendi in India and Why its a Wedding Ceremony

Weddings are more like a festival in India than in any other country in the world. Because we celebrate the union of two different people and their backgrounds. Indian weddings also have a lot of ceremonies which make them unique. One of the important ceremonies in an Indian wedding is the Mehendi ceremony. The history of Mehendi in India is vast and deep-rooted. Let’s what a mehendi is before looking at the history of Mehendi in India. 

What is Mehendi?

Mehendi (also known as henna) is a traditional form of body art. It involves applying a paste made from the leaves of the henna plant to the skin. Then they made the paste into intricate designs, often on the hands and feet. After this, they let the design dry for several hours before being washed off, leaving behind a temporary stain.

Mehendi has been around for centuries in many cultures, including India, Pakistan, and the Middle East. It is existing as a form of decoration for special occasions such as weddings, festivals, and religious celebrations. The designs can range from simple to highly intricate and will also reflect the personal style of the bride. 

In addition to its aesthetic appeal, mehendi is also believed to have cooling properties and also have medicinal purposes. In addition to this, there is a huge history of Mehendi in India. Let’s understand more about the history of Mehendi in India. 

History of Mehendi in India

To understand the history of Mehendi in India, we need to understand the theories around them. For the past 5000 years, mehendi designs underwent migration and integration from many cultures. Two theories revolve around the history of Mehendi in Indian weddings. The first one is that scholars found some texts and images about Mehendi design in India. This proves that the mehndi design originated in India. 

The second theory is that the history of Mehendi in India was after the invasion by the Mughals. As per the New York-based Mehendi artist Sharmin Samantha, the earliest mehendi sightings are found in Egypt. The hair and nails of Egyptian mummies have traces of red-brown stains of henna. This proves that the history of Mehendi in India might be from Middle Eastern countries. 

Whatever the reason might be for the history of Mehendi in India, we should give credit to India. Because the festivals, weddings and celebrations in India played a major role in popularising the mehndi art to the world. You can never find a celebration in the history of Mehendi in India without a simple mehndi design. Our love for this art will always have a special place in the history of Mehendi in India.

Apart from the theories we should also know about the history of Mehendi in India. The history of Mehendi in India dates back at least several thousand years. The earliest known references to mehendi are in our ancient Indian texts. This includes the Vedas and the Puranas, which describe their use as a form of body decoration. The History of Mehendi in India has its part in weddings, festivals, and other special occasions.

The history of Mehendi in India is an integral part of wedding celebrations. It is also considered a symbol of good luck and prosperity at Indian weddings. The belief is that the darker the colour of the mehendi stain, the stronger the bond between the couple. Traditionally, people apply mehendi on the hands and feet of the bride and other women at the wedding party. And the designs often have intricate patterns and symbols that have special significance.

The history of Mehendi in India faced evolution and became more elaborate, with new techniques and designs. Today, mehendi artists in India are highly skilled and in demand. And people around the world admire them for the beauty and intricacy of their work. Let’s look at why mehendi is a part of Indian culture. 

Why is Mehendi a Wedding Ceremony?

To know about the real reason why is mehendi a wedding ceremony, let's look at the myth. The myth revolves around the wedding of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. To please Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati decorated herself with mehendi designs at their wedding. After this incident, Indians included this as a tradition in Indian weddings. Mehendi is also a part of the sixteen Solah Shiringar.

Now that we know the myth about the history of Mehendi in Indian weddings. Let’s look at some scientific facts. Weddings are beautiful and at the same time, they can also be a burden. Because the amount of work and effort required to make the wedding happen is enormous. From wedding planning to implementation it needs time, energy and a lot of effort. That is one of the reasons to hire a wedding planner to ease things for you in your wedding. 

Because of this, the couple might get stressed and that’s when the mehndi comes into the picture. The mehendi ceremony helps the couple to avoid stress and ease themselves before the wedding. And henna also has some medicinal properties which help in reducing tension and stress by acting as a coolant.

Henna also has antiseptic properties which will help the couple not fall ill before their wedding. Because of this reason, both the groom and bride are applying henna to their body. In addition to this, it is also representing the love for each other. The darker the mehendi, the deeper the love for their companion.